Sunita Williams returns to Earth after nine months in space: WATCH stunning splashdown video

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov safely returned to Earth in their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft early Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew-9 splashed down off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee.

A safe and steady splashdown

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, dubbed Freedom, completed its re-entry through Earth's atmosphere and deployed parachutes for a gentle splashdown at 5:57 PM (2157 GMT) on Tuesday (3.27 am IST) on Wednesday. 

The spacecraft had endured temperatures as high as 3,500°F (2,000°C) during re-entry.

Ground teams erupted in cheers as the capsule bobbed on the calm waters beneath a sunny sky.

Swift recovery and medical checks

As fast boats reached the capsule to conduct initial safety checks, a recovery vessel moved into position to retrieve the Crew-9 astronauts. After being hoisted onto the ship’s main deck, the astronauts will undergo medical checks before being flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to begin a 45-day rehabilitation program.

The ‘stranded’ astronauts' unexpected journey

Wilmore and Williams, both experienced Navy pilots, arrived at the ISS in June 2022 for what was initially planned as a brief roundtrip to test Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, the Starliner experienced propulsion issues, and the astronauts were left stranded in space for an extended period.

They were reassigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which brought them to the ISS in September, with a reduced crew of two. The Crew-9 team had become widely known as the “stranded astronauts” during their unplanned nine-month stay.

Resilience in space

Although Wilmore and Williams' 286-day stay exceeds the typical six-month ISS rotation, it ranks only sixth among US records for single-mission duration.

Political controversy

The astronauts’ extended stay also drew political attention. Then former US President Donald Trump, along with his close advisor Elon Musk, suggested that the Biden administration had abandoned the astronauts, implying that a rescue mission was delayed. These comments sparked criticism from the space community, with NASA's plans for the astronauts' return remaining consistent since their reassignment to Crew-9.

A successful and safe return

Despite the political distractions, the successful splashdown of the Crew-9 astronauts is a remarkable testament to the resilience and teamwork required for long-duration space missions. With their return, NASA’s astronauts have completed a challenging mission and are ready to begin their rehabilitation and reintegration into Earth’s gravity.